Campus Connection

UWL marketing graduate helps propel friend to finalist on ‘The Voice’

A UW-La Crosse alumna is drawing on her marketing background to help launch a young woman onto the national music stage. May graduate Ana Ginter started sharing videos and doing marketing for her friend Brooke Simpson for her UWL senior capstone project in a marketing class in spring semester 2017. The project focused on breaking through in the music industry, and Ginter’s initial push and continued support may have helped her friend do just that. Today Simpson is one of four finalists on “The Voice,” a reality TV singing competition on NBC featuring famous coaches who aim to help contestants win the show and launch into stardom. Simpson is the lone singer left with coach Miley Cyrus, a famous singer, songwriter and actress. The show wraps up with final performances on Monday and a results show on Tuesday. The show airs at 7 p.m. central time on NBC. Voting runs from show time Monday until 10 a.m. central time Tuesday. Vote here or using The Voice App. If Simpson gets in the top 10 on the iTunes chart, her votes are multiplied by five. Ginter, a marketing major, created Facebook ads, shared videos and helped Simpson develop a stronger brand identity through her capstone work. She drew on that work to continue helping Simpson get people talking about her singing after graduation. Today her work focuses most on helping Simpson get more votes on “The Voice.”

Watch Simpson sing while Ginter plays guitar

Meanwhile Ginter also has a full-time job as a marketing associate for Zebra Advertisement in Miami, Florida, where she creates ads and assists with social media. Ginter originally met Simpson growing up at her church in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. Ginter played the guitar as Simpson sang during services. Over the last four years, Ginter and Simpson have kept in touch and remained friends, while also helping each other make connections in their respective industries. Ginter is thankful for her senior capstone work, which prepared her for her career. “It was a risk coming from south Florida to Wisconsin, but it was one of the best experiences of my life,” she says. “The classes, in general, helped me do what I do today, and the professors pushed me to do exactly what I want to do … I feel I’m on the right track.”